Black Adam trailer: Dwayne Johnson's DC debut looks glorious with thunder, fury, and some very slick action

The hugely anticipated trailer of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's DC universe debut, Black Adam, is here. Johnson plays the titular role in the film that follows the antihero from the fictional world of Kahndaq who rises to power in the modern world, having been brought back to life after 5000 years. The trailer loosely establishes Black Adam's sensational past but also shows how he clashes with the key member of the Justice Society of America (JSA) which comprises Atom Smasher (played by Noah Centineo), Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Maxine Hunkel/Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), and Kent Nelson/Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan). 

Termed the "Dirty Harry of Superheroes", Black Adam can be expected to be a more violent and grimmer version compared to the previous Disney take. With themes of enslavement and reincarnation playing the major backdrops, we see Teth-Adam (Dwayne Johnson) be a radical force in the modern world whose catastrophic powers compel those around him to lock him away. Sarah Shahi plays Johnson's love interest in the film who rises in stature as a resistance fighter in Kahndaq after being gifted with powers to control the forces of nature. According to Wikipedia, Marwan Kenzari, Mo Amer, James Cusati-Moyer, Bodhi Sabongui, and Uli Latukefu too are part of the cast but their respective roles are yet to be divulged. The organized crime syndicate Intergang too is slated to appear in the film. 

Dwayne Johnson came to be associated with the Black Adam almost 15 years ago when he was first slated to play Captain Marvel but the actor also grew interested in the film's antagonist (Black Adam). However, about a decade later, New Line Cinema (the main studio in charge) and DC Films decided on splitting the story into two separate films with Captain Marvel being rebranded as Shazam! and antihero Black Adam warranting a film of his own. New Line then brought the director of Jungle Cruise (also starring The Rock), Jaume Collet-Serra, on board to direct the film with Adam Sztykiel (Due Date, Rampage), Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani forming the writing team. Principal Photography began in April of 2021.

Although, in theory, the worlds of Black Adam and Shazam are set to collide soon in a future film together, DC is yet to confirm the same. There is also the likelihood of the storyline bleeding into the world of Superman with Henry Cavill himself revealing the plans of a face-off between Superman and Black Adam in a future DCEU film, but without any official confirmation.